Rookie Scoot Henderson is the new face of the backcourt for Portland in 2023-24.
Damian Lillard is gone, and it’s a new era for the Portland Trail Blazers. The good news is that they might not have to wait to find their next franchise star. Scoot Henderson is here and he’s clearly the guy going forward.
The Blazers probably aren’t done dealing, with Malcolm Brogdon being the next guy who could be moved. This is obviously a long-term project, and the wins and losses don’t matter much this season.
What’s new?
- With Charlotte selecting Brandon Miller with the second pick in the Draft, the Blazers landed Henderson at No. 3, then selecting forward Kris Murray with the 23rd pick.
- A pair of win-now players — Jerami Grant and Matisse Thybulle — were re-signed, with the 29-year-old Grant getting $160 million over five years.
- In two trades involving three other teams, the Blazers received a much better haul — Deandre Ayton, Brogdon, Toumani Camara, Robert Williams III, three first-round picks, and two swaps — for Lillard than if they had sent him to his preferred destination (Miami).
How far can the Blazers go?
This team isn’t meant to win now. The Blazers weren’t very good (39-48) with Lillard over the last two seasons and, while their defense probably can’t get much worse than it’s been, they’re almost certainly heading to the Draft lottery for the third straight year.
1 player that must take a leap
Shaedon Sharpe. If Henderson is the main guy, Sharpe has the potential to be No. 2. He’s got freakish athleticism, but also shot 36% from 3-point range and finished well in the paint as a rookie. This won’t be a defining season for the 20-year-old, but if he takes a step forward with a year under his belt and a full summer of work, we’ll have a better view of the Blazers’ future.
In-Season Tournament
The Blazers are in West Group A. Here’s a refresher on how the In-Season Tournament works.
Upcoming free agents
The Blazers have 10 potential free agents in 2024.
- Ibou Badji
- Moses Brown
- John Butler Jr.
- Skylar Mays
- Antoine Davis
- Kevin Knox
- Justin Minaya
- Duop Reath
- Malachi Smith
The Blazers won’t have any major decisions to make next summer, beyond who they should select with their first-round pick.
Portland’s full roster can be found here.
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John Schuhmann is a senior stats analyst for NBA.com. You can e-mail him here, find his archive here and follow him on Twitter.
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